1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell stack.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, which is made from a polymer ion-exchange membrane, is used in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), in which the solid polymer electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode. Each of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode includes an electrode catalyst (electrode catalyst layer) and a porous carbon (gas diffusion layer). The membrane electrode assembly and separators (bipolar plates), sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly therebetween, constitute a power generation cell. A predetermined number of such power generation cells are stacked and used, for example, as a vehicle fuel cell stack.
In order to obtain a required power, a fuel cell typically includes a stacked body including a predetermined number (for example, several tens to several hundreds) of power generation cells. At each end of the stacked body in the stacking direction, a terminal plate, an insulator, and an end plate are arranged outward. A predetermined clamping load is applied to the pair of end plates.
Because weight reduction is required for a fuel cell stack of this type, for example, a structure using a resin end plate instead of a metal end plate has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent No. 5136051 discloses a fuel cell including a stacked body, which includes a plurality of unit cell modules that are stacked, and a pair of collector plates (terminal plates) and a pair of resin end plates (end plates), which are disposed at both ends of the stacked body.